1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of an electronic switch for an electronic device, and more particularly relates to a structure of an electronic switch that can be used in electronic devices such as mobile phone, digital camera, digital video camera and alike for providing multi-segment control signals.
2. Background of the Invention
With the rapid advancement and development in personal digital products have paved a trend for every type of digital product to be lighter, thinner, shorter and smaller. The traditional design uses the direction keys for making selections through the visual display in the display window, and therefore the size of the digital product is limited and cannot be smaller. Some of the manufacturers in this field have developed an electronic switch which allows a user to select and operate the selected functions that are displayed in the display window of mobile phone by touching, pushing, or pressing the electronic switch for selecting and/or operating the selected functions through the display window panel. This allows easier operation and also allows size reduction.
The above-mentioned structure of the electronic switch comprises a case, a button, a first resilient element, a second resilient element and a cover. When the button is pushed backward and forward by using an external force, the neck portion of the button will move in a first device area of the case to initiate the rotation of the rotating portion. When the rotating portion rotates, the free end of the second resilient element will extend towards a second device area of the case. In the meantime, a containing end of the first resilient element, which is fixed on a rear surface of the rotating portion will contact the inner part of the first device area to output an electrical signal for controlling the selection of functions that are displayed in the display window.
The structure of the electronic switch can be designed to match with the angle of the button set, and the design generally is multi-segment signal control type, for example, classified as a single page roll or continuation roll according to the specific angle of the button set, allowing the user to have easier control on the rolling pages. However, the present design allows the user the selection feature by pressing down the button, which forms as an external resilient portion on the case and additionally a protruded point is disposed on the resilient portion. When the protruded point is moved between the positioning hole and the sliding portion, a clicking sound is created, indicating the user that the switch has been substantially pressed, but however there is no other contact stimulation available to indicate the user of electrical signals generated from moving the button in right and/or left directions in specific angles. Besides, the protruded point of the conventional design is made of a rubber material, the case and the top of the resilient portion of the button are made of metallic material, thus the protruded point will be polished and damaged as a result of use over a certain period of time and cause loss of contact stimulation function.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new structure of an electronic switch in order to resolve the defects of the aforementioned prior art.
In order to achieve the above object and other advantages of the present invention, a structure of the electronic switch comprising an adjustment groove in the neck portion of the button, a pressing element disposed in the adjustment groove, and an elastic plate area which is defined by a slit of the case of the switch. A plurality of pressing points in a form of grooves are disposed on the elastic plate area at a position where the adjustment groove is positioned, wherein the grooves correspond to every electrical signals generated by the switch, allowing to press and push the button to move the pressing element in right and left, or up and down directions through an external force, in doing so, the pressing element presses the corresponding pressing points generating the corresponding obvious synchronization contact stimulation.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the elastic plate area and the pressing element are made of metallic material to reducing polishing and damaging effects in order to increase life-time or the durability of the switch.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.